26 part 2: The Role of AI in Modern Logistics: Insights from Industry Expert Lori Boyer

Lori Boyer: 00:00:00

So one of the great tools that you can use is to like, rate, shop, compare, right? To know, okay, if I'm going to ship on this lane on this day, what is going to be my most affordable option?

And we do that simply based on billions of past data shipments.

Intro: 00:00:14

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Nick Agnetti: 00:00:34

So we gotta talk. I mean, you're here from EasyPost. Yeah, I'm gonna ask some questions about EasyPost. Actually. Just one really.

So, so what separates EasyPost from other industry options and what is a Good ICP for EasyPost?

Lori Boyer: 00:00:48

Okay, great question. You're welcome. I love it. Okay. EasyPost is. Okay. Our first part of our question was.

Nick Agnetti: 00:00:57

Remind me what separates EasyPost from other industry options?

Lori Boyer: 00:01:00

Okay, so EasyPost has been around for a long time. EasyPost has billions and billions of shipments under us. If you don't know who EasyPost is, we are a tool where you can connect APIs.

So typically if you're going to sign up and you need to get an account with USPS and FedEx and you're doing a lot of different work, well, through a single API, you can now connect it via multi carrier option. It allows you to print your labels, it allows you to you all of your tracking notifications.

We also have AI tools and then we have some enterprise size work as well. So if you're wanting to do that on an enterprise level.

But I think that one of the biggest things that separates us is simply the fact that we have so much data and so we're able to use that data. We're more than any other company we've been around for so long that we're able to take the data and use it.

So one of the great tools that you can use is to like rate, shop, compare, right? To know, okay, if I'm going to ship on this lane on this day, what is going to be my most affordable option?

And we do that simply based on billions of past data shipments.

There's a lot of times, for instance, when maybe you say, oh, I need to get this there in two days, but you could actually pay for three to five day shipping because 98% of the time it arrives in two days. Sure, right. So all of that kind of data, I think that we're Very, very reliable. We've been around for a long time. We have a really fantastic fork.

It's just very solid. I think as well, people in the industry are a little bit nervous.

I think after Covid, we had a lot of companies kind of come and go really quickly and we've been here a long time before that. We're a solid company going to be around for a long time. So perfect. Icp, honestly, almost anyone.

Nick Agnetti: 00:02:51

Okay.

Lori Boyer: 00:02:53

That being said, that's like the worst answer ever. If I was like training someone, I'd.

Nick Agnetti: 00:02:58

Be like, I was going to drill down. Don't worry.

Lori Boyer: 00:03:00

I'm allowed to say everyone can ship with that, but EasyPost is free. If you're down at the lower end, you can hop on, get an account, print off whatever, up to a certain number of labels.

We do have, as I mentioned, separate enterprise products that are. We ship with some of the biggest shippers in the world. The biggest names out there also ship through EasyPost. So there is the wide spectrum.

We use three PLs, use us.

Nick Agnetti: 00:03:28

But we're a carrier partner of EasyPost, have been for years. Some of my. I have many customers directly that utilize the integration.

So I think in the enterprise level, one thing that separates you guys is the development work that you're able to do. I have a very large shipper in particular that it has homegrown website. And you guys have.

You guys, in terms of their partnership, have done a ton of dev work to make that work.

Lori Boyer: 00:03:54

Yep, Yep.

Nick Agnetti: 00:03:55

Which is really impressive.

Lori Boyer: 00:03:56

Nerds. We try to hire lots of really smart nerds to help.

Nick Agnetti: 00:04:00

Is nerd is. Are we back on?

Lori Boyer: 00:04:02

Is that cool?

Nick Agnetti: 00:04:03

Okay.

Lori Boyer: 00:04:03

Okay. All right.

Nick Agnetti: 00:04:04

I didn't know if we were. We were okay there. So I guess when.

Jason Rowland: 00:04:08

When EasyPost gets those nerds together in a room and. And you guys have the ability to put these LLMs to use. What. What is different about your LLM when it gets all of that massive shipping data?

Lori Boyer: 00:04:20

What? Yeah.

Nick Agnetti: 00:04:22

What does it provide?

Lori Boyer: 00:04:22

So some people say, oh, well, you know, you could look at one of the biggest things is the fact that it is all of the carriers across your own specific network, but also across everybody. So let's say the UPS came out with their own LLM. It would just have information on using ups, right.

Like where we have data across every carrier pretty much that you could think of. In addition, it is the data set AI, not just LLMs, but AI in general are only as good as the data that's behind them.

So you can have something that's really sleek and really beautiful. But if it doesn't have much data, it's not going to be able to give you the right answers. Again, it comes back to the fact that evpost has massive.

More than any other company in the industry. So much data, just billions upon billions of records. And so I think that that's the biggest thing.

But also, as you mentioned, our team is so good about working with people. I've worked at different companies, one of the best ever at like, really working out and individually helping companies and advising them. And.

And so as we run into any questions, again, this is an early technology for everyone.

Jason Rowland: 00:05:31

Yeah.

Lori Boyer: 00:05:32

Knowing that you're going to be able to make a difference in where that product goes.

Jason Rowland: 00:05:36

So as you do that advising. Right. Because a little bit of that, that is the. Is the advice. Right. How do those companies then implement that change? Right.

In terms of their operation or their commercial offerings? How are they implementing that advice?

Lori Boyer: 00:05:49

Yeah, yeah. So we have people contact us for. Usually it's. They've run into an issue. Right.

Maybe somebody says, like in your case, we've decided to expand into a new country. Yes. We're wondering what to do.

Nick Agnetti: 00:06:01

We want to go to Mexico.

Lori Boyer: 00:06:02

We need advice. Exactly right. And so then our people will come in and say, hey, these are the options that we're seeing are really good for you.

This could be a neat opportunity for you. Or maybe this area is going to be a little complicated for you based on it, X, Y and Z.

And then they go back in, they implement it within their own systems and then. And if they need help, then we're there to help them as well.

But typically, if you're just talking for advice, you know, that's one of the great side things with EasyPost is just you do have so many people who have so much knowledge around what other people in the industry are doing and getting advice that way that they'll implement it. And then if they need technical help, they can come back to Cisco.

Jason Rowland: 00:06:45

Outstanding.

Nick Agnetti: 00:06:46

Lori, this has been a very interesting conversation. I have learned a ton and I appreciate all of your knowledge on AI. This is. This is very cool. Is there. We're going to wrap it up.

But is there anything that we missed, maybe that you want to touch on or.

Lori Boyer: 00:07:00

I don't think there's anything we missed. But if you ever come to a speaking session of mine or if you listen to our podcast, I host Unboxing Logistics, our podcast.

I always say, if you've listened today and you thought things were interesting, please just pick one thing that you're going to do. Research shows again and again. If you're like, oh, I got like 20 different things I'm going to implement,.

Nick Agnetti: 00:07:21

It's a really good piece of advice.

Lori Boyer: 00:07:23

Do zero. That's what happens. So find one thing. Maybe you're like, from now on, if I'm using an LLM, I'm not going to be uploading private data.

Or maybe I'm going to give it a role.

Nick Agnetti: 00:07:33

That is my takeaway.

Jason Rowland: 00:07:34

Yes.

Nick Agnetti: 00:07:35

That is my, that is my specific legal team. Jason, we'll talk later.

Lori Boyer: 00:07:38

We're going to, we're going to go.

Jason Rowland: 00:07:39

Through your chat sheet.

Nick Agnetti: 00:07:41

Probably not, but yeah, that we're going to be okay. Yeah. Well, Lori, thank you so much, everybody. Lori Boyer from EasyPost, head of content marketing, can't thank you enough.

And thank you for watching and listening to Outside the Box of the Cynthia USA podcast. Thanks, everybody.

Jason Rowland: 00:07:54

Thank you.

Lori Boyer: 00:07:55

It's been great.

Outro: 00:07:56

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